My Memories, And Yours
by Eternally Seventeen
Summary: Fifty non-linear oneshots featuring different moments experienced by just about EVERYONE in the Harry Potter universe. #8 - Scorpius Malfoy and Rose Weasley give their morning more than a little twist.
1. 1: After Eternity

**A/N**: Feels brilliant getting back to Fanfic after too long a gap! To get myself back on track, here's a story where I'll be regularly updating with a oneshot/drabble. Do review/make requests of the pairings/scenarios you'd like to see here, and feel free to comment/suggest/critique. Thanks!

* * *

1.

**Scene**: Just after the Great Battle and the defeat of Voldemort, outside the Hogwarts Castle

**Characters**: Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley.

* * *

Amidst the rubble, debris and the variety of unnameable and rather damaged objects that lay scattered all around the once-grand entrance of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a pair of worn, ragged sneakers tip-toed closer together. A bent head crowned with unruly fiery tresses moved towards a dark one flecked generously with dirt of varying shades of grey.

"I love you. Have I told you how grateful I am that you don't _really _have a Horntail tattooed to your chest? I am rather fond of your very sexy, very scrawny frame. Incidentally, I really, really love you."

A pair of wearied, calloused hands moved from where it hung limply at Harry's side to grip Ginny's slender waist.

"You're rambling, baby. _Incidentally_ - and I do think Hermione's having a rather large influence on you – I love you very much, too."

Three hundred and more days of experiencing and demonstrating the tempestuous melange of intense bravery, faltering hope and heart wrenching fear had changed Ginny. Maybe not all of her present jitters and insecurities were permanent, but something in her had grown and shifted forever. The same was true for Harry as well and as the two stared into each other's eyes, savouring the luxury they were denied for too long now as they read the tales of angst and tumult that emanated from their souls and were told by their eyes.

"Harry?" asked Ginny, her voice small as she twisted her hands in nervous habit.

"Hmm?" His hands were in her hair now, thumbs caressing the flesh beneath her ears in slow circles and moving towards the cuts and grazes on her left cheek.

The heat from his palm flowed into her and pooled in a little pond of desire, confounding her senses.

Out of nowhere, she launched herself onto Harry and knotted her fingers into his messy hair, her lips dancing across his. A startled Harry held on to his sweetheart and slowly sunk into her embrace, their bodies moulding as one.

Their first kiss in a year was in a battlefield; and it was everything perfect. Talking could wait.

* * *

**A/N**: Reviews, reviews. PLEASE. Have gone too long without them!


	2. 2: Letters

#2.

**Scene**: Looks like Scorpius Malfoy fancies a certain redhead at Hogwarts.

* * *

Mom,

Hello. How are you?

Love,  
Scorpius

* * *

Dear Scorpius,

Is it a girl that's bothering you, or quidditch? Your father and I are great, thank you. Rather torn between a vacation to St Tropez or the Sicily Isles. Your thoughts?

Lots of Love,  
Astoria Veiana Malfoy

* * *

Mom!

Stop making false assumptions before I let you in on anything. There's a reason I have stopped divulging in personal information, mother dearest. Incidentally, what and how much do you know of the Weasleys?

Scorpius

* * *

Son,

The reason you've _stopped_ confiding in me lies in the fact that your face is as much of an open book as your dear father's is, as are your words. Call it a mother's instinct, if you will. Do you happen to fancy Rose Weasley?

Lots of Love,  
Your Psychic Mother

* * *

Mother.

I thought you didn't believe in Divination.

Do you think dad would disown me if I..  
I mean, would dad have a problem with –  
Would _you_ be bothered in case

Oh. Never MIND.

Scorpius

* * *

Scorpius!

A Malfoy doesn't stumble and stammer in his entire lifetime the amount you did in that one letter. Why do you think I'd disown you? WHAT on earth are you up to, son? Need I be worried?

Your Father  
Draco Malfoy

* * *

Dear Mother and Father,

I am extraordinarily busy preparing for my final examinations and shall see you at home very soon. Do miss you, but fourth year isn't a cake walk and I'd like to make you (and myself) proud; so here's me bidding you a temporary adieu! Do not miss me too much and enjoy your exotic vacation!

Love  
Your Son,  
Scorpius Malfoy

* * *

Dear Scorpius,

Just ask the girl out already. I can handle your father. Go make me proud!

I love you,  
Mom.

* * *

Son,

What is this I hear about you and the Weasley kid? Do I have reason to worry?

Your Father  
Draco

* * *

Scorpius,

Would you accompany me to Hogsmeade this Friday?

Rose

* * *

Rose,

Why did you send me a letter when we pass each other over five times a day? It's nice hearing from you! How are you?

Scorpius

Scor,

Can I call you that? Scor? Also, because I've noticed you seem to enjoy writing letters. You seem rather flabbergasted; are you alright? We pass by each other over six times a day, actually; I send regular owls to my family. Also, I see you've been keeping count of the times you and I share the same breathing space. Interesting.

Rose

* * *

Rose Weasley,

Hogsmeade it is.

Scor. (Yes, you can call me that.)

* * *

Scor,

I'm delighted. Pick me up at six near the Gryffindor portrait hole?

Rose.

* * *

Rose,

Just turn around, will you?

Scor.

* * *

**A/N**: Readers. DO review to get me going! :)


	3. 3: Confessions

**A/N**: I'm rather addicted to writing these little fics :) PLEASE do R&R to get me going :)

* * *

#3.

The pumpkins that year outgrew the size of Hagrid's cabin, and that was saying something. With gusty winds signalling the onset of autumn and the heady flavours of cinnamon, cloves, thyme, rosemary and countless other herbs permeating the air, not even the most studious of students were interested in attending classes.

Even the professors, sensing their student's restlessness and secretly longing for an escape into Hogsmeade had cancelled all afternoon classes, and it could be safely presumed that the lot of them were tipsy and contributing to Madame Rosmerta's profits for the day.

"Ron?"

Hermione accosted him in the hallways as he walked towards the Gryffindor common room with a mountain of food nestling precariously between his folded arms.

"Wh- oh, Hermione!"

Visibly startled, Ron peered hard at Hermione's face before responding. "How are you not with Professor McGonagall? I thought you had an extra transfiguration lesson with her every week this time."

Hermione stood still for a moment. "Since when do you know _my_ timetable by heart, Ronald Weasley?" she queried, a rare smirk crossing her flushed face.

"Have you seen Harry by the Owlery? He told me he was writing to mum, but it's been over an hour, and we were supposed to-" Ron tried violently (and failed) to change the topic of discussion. He looked like he'd rather be facing off spiders than be confronted by Hermione at the moment.

"I wondered if you'd like to go for a stroll by Hagrid's gardens."

The words exploded out of Hermione in a breathy rush, as though she were afraid that the courage to utter them would leave has any instant.

"I mean, the weather just seems so wonderful, and I'm rather tired of being cooped up in classes all week, and Halloween is approaching..." she barrelled on, not noticing the series of changes the expressions on Ron's face were going through.

For one of the first times ever during the course of the trio's six year friendship, both Ron and Hermione were secretly glad that Harry wasn't there with them just yet. Not like they'd admit it to each other or even to themselves just yet, though.

An awkward silence desceneded upon the pair as Hermione, rather red in the face, stopped ranting and stared down almost with fierce determination at her pristine black shoes. Ron's ears were flaming red by then, yet he was the first to break the ice.

"So, er…Hagrid's gardens, then? We can even spend an hour or so with him; he may have just gotten hold of yet another exotic creature.

Their first encounter with Norbert (who they'd later discovered was actually Norbert_a_) the dragon and the many magical creatures they'd had the luck to meet thanks to Hagrid stood fresh in their minds.

"Harry should be there for that," Hermione said, looking slightly wistful. Ron smiled. "Come on."

* * *

Hermione couldn't remember the last time she had actually spent an entire afternoon alone with Ron. Now, with the sun tucked away for the day, she stared at the twilit sky smeared in varied hues of purples, violets and magentas and smiled contentedly. The pair was hidden behind immense pumpkins, using them as a rather bumpy backrest. Besides her, Ron released a long sigh of contentment, and Hermione quickly turned away as she felt her cheeks warm up again.

_What had they even been talking about?_ Ron wondered, his thoughts flickering. They had discussed their academics at length, of course; no conversation with Hermione could skip academics. Ron found himself smiling fondly at that thought. And then they had opened up to each other, swapping childhood stories. Her childhood as a muggle born coupled with the fact that she was an only child contrasted sharply with his raucous, magical family.

He was beginning to feel…complete. Content. A sense of reckless instinct took over him, and he rolled over on his tummy to face Hermione, who now looked rather startled.

"What if I told you that I loved you?" His eyes shone liquid chocolate.

"Then I'd have two things to tell you, Ron Weasley" she replied seriously, and Ron couldn't help but smile. _Ever the erudite scholar._

She took his gentle smile as a sign to go on.

"The first – how serious are you? I mean, are you being honest with me?" Her eyes glowed an earnest amber as they caught the rays of light streaming from Hagrid's oil lamps.

Ron's smile vanished as he moved even closer to her, everything from their hips and below touching.

"Very, very serious, Hermione Jean Granger."

The use of her full name as the words rolled off his plush lips made her heart skip a beat.

"Then I'd say that I love you too, Ron Weasley. Very, very much and for quite some time now."

* * *

In the darkness, Harry smiled. It was about time.


	4. 4: Never Forever

**A/N: **This fic is for** Sweet Bitter Life's 'Flower Language' challenge, **as well as for **a chance encounter's 'The Not A Fairytale'** challenge on the HPFC forum. PLEASE do read and review!

* * *

**4.**

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

As the gentle, silver-haired minister bowed, smiled and stepped away from the altar, Lucius Malfoy gave his new bride a searing look that sent her knees wobbling; and then brought her into his arms and sealed her lips with a kiss.

It was the much awaited union of Lucius Malfoy to his Hogwarts sweetheart Narcissa; what had begun as admiration-from-afar had soon blossomed into an intense, academic rivalry that had inevitably culminated in love. And now, here they were; holding their heads up in pride, the baby girl of the Black house and the eldest Malfoy boy were all grown up and married.

The couple then walked down the aisle together while Narcissa's sister rained silver and emerald sparks on the newlyweds. With a gleaming bouquet on enchanted alstroemerias clutched between thin, pale hands, it was easy for just a single moment to forget that she was truly a daughter of the Noble House of Black, and everything she was capable of.

Displaying a rare moment of sentimentality, Bellatrix brushed a stray tear from her cheek and uttered a short prayer for the happiness and longevity of her sister's marriage. She then took another long, hard look at Lucius and smirked. _Cissy had picked a hot one._

* * *

_(Four Years Later)_

"Don't you think you're being extremely selfish?"

Her voice was a shard of glass that pierced the murky air of Malfoy Manor.

Nothing was said for a while, and her impatience mounted towards her husband's apparent nonchalance.

"Are you going to continue behaving as though I am invisible? If that is the case, I see no reason for me to continue staying here."

As her voice rose, the baby at the corner of the bed was woken up from his sleep and started crying loudly on realising that his mother wasn't right next to him.

Narcissa rushed to her son's crib and picked him up, smoothing his blonde wisps and patting his back while cradling him, all the while murmuring soothing words to her baby.

"There, there my precious boy. Everything's fine. Smile for me, sweetheart. It's all going to be fine." The slightest hint of tears began gathering by the corners of her eyes and she awkwardly brushed them away with her sleeves while a jumble of emotions gnawed away at her arrhythmic heart.

_How would she stay strong for her baby son when she was unable to hold herself together?_

The manor was large and still and the setting sun cast eerie shadows on the sterile white walls of the master bedroom. For just a second, the shadows threatened to swallow her up, never freeing her from their eternal darkness.

She blinked. _It's just the exhaustion affecting me,_ she told herself while rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"You know," Lucius began, still facing away from his son and carefully avoiding his wife's wild gaze.

"I made a promise to the Dark Lord seven years ago, and I am not about to break it now, just as I have no intention of breaking my vows to you. And him," he added, ever-so-slightly tilting his head towards his now pacified baby.

Narcissa didn't answer. She would if she could, but she didn't know what to tell him. All she had was one question on her lips, the possible answer to which terrified her.

"But that doesn't mean I'm stripping you of your _choices, _Narcissa, and I expect you'd extend the same courtesy towards me."

This was not the kind of lifestyle she had chosen for herself. She knew what Lucius believed in, and she was very aware of what would happen to her husband if he chose to leave Voldemort's side. She herself has to exist on the very fringes of society to protect herself and the baby.

Even after seven years, she lacked the courage to say his name out loud, and her proud stance faltered.

For the first time in her life, the spoilt and perpetually self-assured Narcissa was completely and utterly shaken. There were choices in front of her, plain as day; of _that_ she was aware. None of them were the route she wished to go however, and the road she wanted to walk upon no longer existed.

Her head swivelled rapidly between her now cooing baby and her impassive husband, and the choice made itself for her.

With the flick of a wand, Lucius watched aghast as all of Narcissa's possessions began flying from all corners of the house into one large pile on their bed and arranged themselves according to size. Another flick brought in Draco's things, and she looked deep into her husband's frightened eyes as she uttered, '_Accio_ red suitcases!'

Two large red suitcases in pristine condition came barrelling into the room a few seconds later, clattering noisily as they came to a standstill merely millimetres from where Lucius' feet were planted on the chilly floor.

Another few swishes from Narcissa's wand resulted in a barren manor that looked like it had been left uninhabited for nearly a century.

Baby Draco's temporary state of bliss was shattered as Lucius emitted a strangled, indescribable moan at the sight of the red suitcases that now stood a little behind the main door. He had followed Narcissa as she marched through the rooms with the baby in her arms, suddenly refusing to utter a word to her husband. Only she knew the number of times her heart was shattering into a billion pieces within her.

As her world crumbled around her, there was only one thing she knew for certain; she couldn't raise a child while she was a slave to the Dark Lord. She had to break free.

* * *

Draco Malfoy placed the alstroemerias on his mother's grave after telling her about his son being sorted into Slytherin and then turned around, preparing to apparate.

At the Malfoy grave, the tears fell unbidden as Draco wondered for the umpteenth time as to why his parents weren't buried together, and prayed that their souls had reunited sometime, somewhere.

* * *

**A/N**: Hugs and cookies to all reviewers! Help me improve my writing, too :)

Thank you!

-EternallySeventeen.


	5. 5: To Be A Woman

**A/N: **So the idea for this fic came to me when I recalled my, umm, rather awkward puberty phase and I decided to incorporate three prompts into it, from three different challenges from my beloved HPFC Forum:

**1. **The quote** "That's what the voices in your head are for, to get you through the silent parts" **by John Green, for the** John Green Appreciation Competition **by** loveislouder94.**

**2. **The prompt** 'Protea King - Write about someone going through changes in his/her life' **for **The Flower Language Challenge **by **Sweet Bitter Life.**

**3.** The prompt** 'The Ugly Duckling: Write about the transition from child to adult' **for** ReadandLive's The Traditional Story Challenge.**

**Special shout out **to** glitter blizzard, fo**r beta-ing this story and giving me the confidence to publish it. *hugs*

Loads of thanks a hugs to the prompters for getting my muses going! Please, please do read and review :)

* * *

**#5.**

**To Be a Woman**

Thirteen year old Ginny was feeling rather crabby as she woke on the warm, bright Sunday morning. A surge of relief hit her when she realised that she didn't have classes that day, for she was honestly worried as to how she'd be able to get through an entire day of attending classes while being _social_ to people. She looked around the dormitory only to find it empty and considered quickly shedding her nightclothes in exchange for something that she could actually walk out in.

Rooting through her trunk, she lifted a pair of blue cotton pants that reminded her of her quidditch lessons with the twins and she abruptly burst into tears, homesick. Dropping the pants on top of her bed, she quickly fished some stationary out of her bag and began composing a long, mushy letter to her mum and dad; the first ever letter she'd be sending them in over six months.

Once she had read thorough the entire letter and was sufficiently satisfied, she leaped off the bed, placed the letter carefully by her bedside table and resumed looking for something she could wear on top, and paused.

_On top._

Her chest had been aching for a few days now and though she possessed the rationality to not suspect a heart attack, something was certainly wrong with her. For the first time in almost a week, Ginny dragged herself in front of a mirror and stared at herself.

"Oh, holy freaking broomstick on fire!" she cursed none too subtly, her mood swinging into annoyance mixed with confusion.

Two little bumps had appeared where there was previously absolutely nothing, and were clearly the source of her pain. She sighed. This would mean that she'd have to wear a bra, or else she was going to look as though she had stuffed cotton balls down her chest. Her lower stomach was aching, too, and she knew perfectly well what _that _signified.

She lowered herself onto her bed and abruptly burst into tears. Without being bothered to console herself, she got up and ran towards the Gryffindor common rooms wearing the strange combination of a violent orange Weasley jumper above a grey flannel night shirt paired with her blue pants.

The door to the common room was thrown open and Ginny Weasley barged in, hair flying and eyes wild.

"Hemione?" she bellowed, her voice uncharacteristically loud.

Ron and Harry had been seated on opposite sides of a maroon couch with a board of wizarding chess plonked neatly between them. Ron was in the middle of making a move and his face was currently frozen in an extremely comical expression as he didn't know what to make of his crazed sister.

"Um, Ginny? Isn't it a tad bit too warm for you to be in a jumper?" Lavender Brown asked in a sickly sweet tone from her perch atop a chair by the fireplace, and the group of girls around her giggled while Ginny shot her a murderous glare.

"Would you rather I take my jumper off, exposing my just-emerging chest to the whole of Gryffindor?" she shot back, almost spitting the words at Lavender.

The words "Can't believe they are related" were the last thing that the Gryffindors heard before a loud _bang_ caused everyone to jump. "Ginny Weasley!" Parvati squealed, appalled at the sudden display of temper by the third-year. Ginny chose to blissfully ignore her.

"Ginny, bloody hell! Are you out of your mind?" Ron had rushed to his sister's side and Ginny grinned at Lavender's hideous pouts as Ron ignored her seared robes. "Is everything alright with you?" he added in gentler undertones, and as Ginny looked up at him, her sudden anger deflated.

"I just need Hermione, that's all," she said in a strangled voice.

"Somebody called me name?" Hermione stood at the doorway, her robes askew as she had gone racing up the portrait hole to the common room at the sound of Ginny's mini explosion. A sigh of relief passed through the common room and a few of them silently prayed for Hermione to not be Ginny's next victim.

"'Miony!" Ginny ran towards her and dragged her out of the common room, stomping towards the third-year dorms instead while Hermione struggled to balance the pile of books she'd been holding.

"Ginny, hold on! What is the matter?" Her perceptive eyes bored holes into Ginny's, whose heavy breathing and tear-stained cheeks were beginning to worry the elder girl.

Ginny stopped by the entrance of the dorm and slumped.

"Have you ever felt like… like you just have no control over yourself? One minute I'm crying, the next I'm tearing parchments in a hurry to write an eloquent letter to mum. And then there's this," she pointed towards her chest, and Hermione had to control her rare fir of giggles so as to calm the redhead down.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley. You are growing into a gorgeous young lady, do you know that?" Hermione's eyes now turned misty as the little girl she considered her very own sister looked up at her with an expression of pain and confusion.

"Stop calling me that! You remind me of mum…" she trailed off as more tears clustered at the corner of her eyes, and she brushed them away angrily.

"It hurts, it hurts so much. Up here and down there and everywhere else. And my head feels like one of Luna's nargles have invaded it; I'm like a swinging pendulum, incapable of …anything," she finished weakly, unable to express herself.

Growing up in a large family had her firmly independent, but never alone. Experiencing womanly issues was something she had to do on her own now, however, as her mother was too far away and she only had brothers at school. And as uninhibited as Ginny usually was, this wasn't a topic she was particularly comfortable in broaching with any of her brothers.

"Hermione? I, umm, need to go buy bras, don't I?" Her voice came out sounding weak and rather embarrassed, and Hermione burst into a fresh peal of laughter.

"Shut up, 'Mione. Tell me!" she demanded, some of the Ginny spunk returning back to her.

One look at Hermione's pink face had Ginny dissolve into giggles, too, and the rest of the afternoon passed by in a blur.

* * *

"Madame Lynd's store isn't all that far away – look out for a rather gormless shack with bright pink fairy lights all over the front, and you'll know we're there."

"Is that the one It looks like it's hiding behind Zonko's. Why situate a lingerie store behind the most popular hideout at Hogsmeade?" Ginny's discomfort ws evident as her volume rose.

Hermione laughed. "Well, modesty with respect to innerwear-" she paused as Ginny's face turned a shade that matched her hair, and stifled a giggle, "isn't something that the wizards and witches worry about too much. However," she added, as the younger girl blushed an even impossibly deeper shade of red, "this store is charmed to look like a rundown shack to any Hogwarts male student, so there's no chance of us bumping into any of your siblings here-"

Hermione had to pause as Ginny hugged her tight in a rare display of emotion.

"You know, mum and I had had huge and often hilarious conversations about all of this just before Hogwarts," Ginny said softly, her eyes trained on her shoes. "I just didn't realise it would be this hard to actually experience, and that I of all people would crave for someone to talk to all the time." She let out a snort of derision. "I must sound so pathetic."

"Hey! Never say that about yourself!" Hermione scolded. "Our bodies do go through a load of change, and being a witch doesn't help much. I can teach you how to brew the MoodyMood-less potion, but it is notorious for putting you to sleep at odd hours and in a very sudden manner, which is not very desirable." She made a face as she recalled the first and last time she ever drank the potion.

"I'm here for you, alright? And if not, well, that's what the voices in your head are for, to get you through the silent parts."

Ginny looked up at Hermione and smiled. "How sure are you that the voices in my head won't drive me cuckoo instead?" An impish grin crossed her face.

"Well," said Hermione, linking her arms with Ginny's and steering her towards the store, "You're a Weasley, Molly's daughter at that. I have full faith in you."

And with that, the duo entered the lingerie store, leaving the _child_ Ginny back to reside forever in their memories alone.

* * *

**A/N:** Do let me know what you thought of it; thank you for reading :)


	6. 6: Kiss Me

**A/N: **I found myself randomly writing this story this evening, halfway through which I chanced upon the 'Connect the Weasleys' Challenge by Morning Lillies. Thank you so much for this challenge; and to all the readers, please do leave an honest review! Thank you :)

**Pairing:** Teddy/Victoire

**Prompt:** First Kiss

* * *

**#7 **

** Kiss Me**

"Vic, it's just eight months. E-I-G-H-T months. Stop worrying so much for me all the time; I promise I'll be back soon and will do you the favour of remaining in one piece."

Teddy winked at her and relaxed into an easy grin, but Victoire was just too wound up to register the humour in his tone.

Her pale eyes shimmered as the tears accumulated and then crashed over her cheeks slowly, and then all at once.

She wasn't able to express herself, to weave all those errant thoughts into a tapestry that could be accessed easily. But she felt handicapped from within, like there were constraints laced on certain parts of her brain that prevented her from saying it all.

"Teddy," she managed to choke out in a strangled voice devoid of her usual composure. "Don't do this, don't go."

Teddy and Victoire sat on the floor on two opposite ends of Victoire's room at Shell Cottage, and Teddy had only just told her about his acceptance into the extremely confidential ministry programme that would take him and a bunch of other carefully selected metamorphagi interns and their head healers to some of the most impoverished regions in Europe, treating victims of complete and partial werewolf attacks.

Her heart went out to her childhood best friend for having undertaken something so noble, and she was also extremely proud of him for achieving so much just within the span of a year as an intern at St Mungo's. However, she was more than aware of the dangers of lurking werewolves and the violence with which they could easily snap the makeshift medical tents into pieces.

Somewhere along the line as the flow of her thoughts alone had begun to petrify her, Victoire's gentle cries had transformed into full-blown, heaving sobs as her imagination took over. In her mind's eye, she saw Teddy sprawled on the floor of a lush forest at night, minutes away from a makeshift tent but unable to rise as he was pinned by a snarling werewolves, its wicked teeth glinting in the moonlight.

She shuddered again. _Remus Lupin had been a werewolf, and he was a brilliant man who would have never harmed anyone, _her rational side urged.

_But he had his animagus best friends who protected him, _another less-comforting voice in her brain snipped. _Also, remember what happened to Dad?_

A fresh batch of tears made their way down Victoire's cheeks and she pulled her knees up, loping her arms around her folded legs and sobbing as she cradled herself.

"Vicky. Victoire Wealey!" Teddy had made his way to Victoire and now sat right in front of her, his brilliant blue eyes staring deep into her shimmy grey ones.

"Listen. I am not going to let anything at all happen to me, alright? Also remember that I am training to be a healer and can take care of myself. _If the need arises,_" he added hastily, noticing Victoire's eyes widening to an impossible size.

"You aren't going to stay out beyond five in the evening on full moon nights, carry some wolfsbane potion with you and don't forget to brew some every month; oh, if you need supplies, write to me and I can send anything to you; also, it's probably going to be freezing, so carry tonnes of winter wear with you; you can always…"

With incredible gentleness, Teddy placed his warm palms around Victoire's pale cheeks and brought her face close to his, effectively silencing her,

"Victoire Weasley," he declared as all signs of laughter disappeared from the cerulean eyes that seemed to deepen by the second.

For a minute, the world stood still around her, and it was all she could do to not swoon at the tickle of his breath on her exposed collarbone and the tip of his sharp nose almost touching hers.

She mentally shook herself and then smiled widely, inching closer than ever towards Teddy and boldly locking her arms around his neck.

Whatever Teddy was going to say died at his lips as he stared in shock at Victoire, who was now grinning at him. In a heartbeat, she kissed him once on each cheek and then looked up at him expectantly.

His mouth was slightly opened in shock. But a second later, the boy folded Victoire in a tight, bone-crushing hug, revelling in her intoxicating fragrance. He then held her face in his palms, delicately swiping his thumbs over her cheeks and brought his lips to hers, kissing her slowly and deeply.

Through the kiss, Victoire smiled. She never had to tell him anything; he was her soul mate.

* * *

"You've had something of a crush on me since the very beginning, haven't you?" Teddy smirked at her.

The pair had moved out to the swing on the front porch; Vic had slowly inched towards Teddy and now had her head on his left shoulder. She had a hand over his and played absently with his fingers, her mind straying frequently.

She sat up straight at the comment. "Hey, for us, 'the beginning' was since we were born; so no, I didn't emerge from my mother having a crush on you, Ted!" she declared, indignant.

Teddy imagined a baby Victoire making eyes at his one year old self and burst out laughing as he tried to explain his imagination to Victoire. They sat laughing into the twilit sky for a few minutes but then sobered up as Teddy's imminent departure loomed before them.

Victoire squirmed around as she brought both her feet up and sat Indian style upon the plank awing, turning Teddy's shoulders too so they both sat facing each other again.

"Listen," she began seriously, her platinum hair glowing in the golden light from the lamps set outside.

"I know." Teddy silenced her before she could even begin.

"What is it that you know?" Victoire seemed more confused now, and Teddy couldn't help himself.

Slowly, he bent towards her and kissed the little pucker between her eyebrows. Brushing her hair aside, he brushed his lips over her forehead and on the tip of her little nose before claiming her lips.

After what seemed like millennia later they broke apart, flushed and out of breath.

"I love you, Victoire Weasley. Always have, always will."

* * *

** A/N**: Love it? Hate it? Whatever it is, please do leave a review and I shall give you yummy cookies and cupcakes :D

Cheers,

ES.


	7. 7: Final Year

**A/N: **This story just _came to me, _signalling the end of my muses' vacation. And though I didn't exactly plan it that way, it's now for two challenges:

- The Flower Language Challenge by Sweet Bitter Life; prompt: Hydrangea, write about someone confessing their feelings for someone else.

- The Back To School One-Shot Challenge by epiCat; prompts, 'empty laughs' and 'I loved you first.'

I really hope you all enjoy it; whatever your reaction, please please do drop a review!

* * *

**#8: Final Year**

* * *

_August 30__th__, 1977 (Two days before the beginning of the new school year at Hogwarts_)

* * *

'Oh, James, just make up your mind already!'

'Mother.' The word came out with painstaking slowness. 'I have.' Every word was enunciated with enough force to puncture a hole through the wall.

'What is it to be then?' she nearly shrieked, bringing her husband from the garage, where he was tinkering away with the ancient items he had dumped in the garage (and firmly refused to get rid of them, no matter what) to the living room where he had to bear witness to yet another famous explosion between his beloved wife and equally beloved son.

Only James still stood, unfazed by his mum's trademark temper that would have send any other sane person out to look for an impenetrable hidey-hole.

'Mum. I turn seventeen this year. Wait,' he added, noting the flare of annoyance light up again in his mother's eyes at the mention of his impending birthday. He knew he's been reminding her of the fact nearly every second during the holidays but he firmly believed in a mother's never-ending tolerance.

Only his mum never had a penchant for never-ending tolerance to begin with, and he wondered if he was to blame. Then he brushed that stray thought aside. Why, he was a model child; prefect, with soaring grades and glowing yearly reports save the rather pointed remarks from just about every professor about his conduct (or lack thereof).

'I mention my age here because, mother dearest, I love you and I love Dad so, so very extraordinarily much-'

As he saw his mother's eyes narrow in immense suspicion, he stopped the flow of praises and hastily got back on track. 'Well, this is my last year at Hogwarts, right? So this is the very last time I'd be able to get on the train all by myself, with Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail...' His voice faded out rather weakly but he quickly resumed his speech.

'So in short, as much as I love you two and initially did want you and dad both to drop me off for my last ever year at Hogwarts, I've now finally come to the sensible conclusion that I'd better do this on my own, or how else am I going to face the world out there without my strong mum and brave dad to help me, eh?'

His lie sounded weak and obvious to his experienced ear and he was more than certain that his mother would pick it up, but hi luck was up, his mum was tired and she decided to just let it go.

'Alright then James,' she said wearily, plonking herself down on the sofa suddenly as though just realising about the existence of such a contraption.

'So we've decided that we drop you till King's Cross and you take it from there wit hthe rest of the gang, right?'

James continues standing, towering over his mum's petite seated frame. He nodded in assent, walked a few steps towards his mum and suddenly sat on the floor, laying his head on his mum's lap just as he used to all the time when he was kid and wanted nothing more than a load of warmth and comfort from his mum; not like he'd ever ask for it out loud, of course.

'James?' Her voice was now slow and soothing and it was impossible for anyone to know that only seconds ago the two had been enraged at each other.

'Hmm?' His mum's soft strokes over his unruly hair were slowly lulling him into a stupor. Boy, was he going to miss this.

'I love you, James Potter.' She planted a soft kiss on his forehead, and James fell asleep within seconds.

* * *

_August 31__st__, 1977 (Seventeen hours before the departure of Hogwarts Express)_

* * *

'Dad! DAD! You haven't, uh, seen, or perhaps heard Destara _anywhere _today, I suppose?'

James' dad looked even more bewildered than he usually did at his son's latest antic. 'James,' he began slowly, and then he was cut off.

_Screeeccchh!_

'JAMES POTTER! WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT BIRD OF YOURS DOING IN THE BACK KITCHEN? DID YOU WANT TO HAVE IT AS A PART OF YOUR DINNER?'

'Ermm…' James trailed away and rushed towards the kitchen after shooting an apologetic look at his dad. He extricated his dripping wet owl Destara from his mum's hands and didn't know who to apologise to first as his mum as well as his owl were shooting him baleful looks. He decided to start with Destara as he'd have to depend on her for all his communications once he'd left home.

'Ey, you silly little birdie,' he crooned, gently shaking her dry. 'I'll never let mum eat you up, I promise. I bet you wouldn't even be that tasty.' He continued drying her ruffled feathers, oblivious to the reproachful looks she was sending him and turned to focus on his mum, who wore an expression that was somewhere in between utterly annoyed and rather amused.

'Mommy.' James opened his arms wide as he drew the word out, beckoning his mum for a warm hug and she swatted him away, smiling. 'Finish packing, you silly boy, and be sure to include your thanks for still having your pet intact and not a part of your going-away meal.' Her eyes twinkled and James gulped at the image of stewed owl. He shuddered. 'Thanks mum. You're the _best.'_

And with that, James dashed away into his room, making sure his trunk contained all that was needed for school and everything _else _that he needed to keep _himself _sane while driving everyone else mental at school.

* * *

_September 1st, 1977_

* * *

'Son, I want you to set a goal for yourself this year.' His father's twinkling eyes betrayed the sombre tone in his voice as he and James stood by the front porch.

'Make sure that the letters you send us outnumber the ones your professors are bound to shoot our way, will you?'

Father and son both chuckled a little at the thought, but they were empty laughs. Though they weren't brilliant at expressing emotion, each missed the other terribly during the school year.

James' dad pulled his only son into a warm hug and then held him at an arm's length, appraising him while James stood before his dad, nervous for the first ever time in his life.

'Dad,' he began and then paused abruptly, dipping his head to the ground while wondering how to tell his father everything that he'd been longing to since the beginning of summer.

'James Potter, you make your final year at Hogwarts count, you hear me? Fulfil each and every dream that you've been chasing ever since the very beginning.'

As James looked up into his father's eyes in wonder, he realised that his dad knew _everything._

He nodded, swallowing a lump in his throat. His dad _knew, _and believed in him. This made him stand up even taller. 'I'm a Potter,' he whispered to himself as he clambered towards the family car with trunk in tow. 'And I shall not disappoint.'

With that thought in mind, James slid into the backseat of the car and watched as his mum looked about, wiped a stray tear off her cheek, hugged her husband tight and then walked hand in hand with him towards the car.

* * *

_King's Cross Station, between Platform 9 and 10_

* * *

James breathed once. And again. And twice more. When his parents finally convinced him that he was certainly not dying of an early and rather vicious asthma attack, he cursed his nerves. Wha ta horrid timing for them to show him (and the whole freakin' world, muggle and magical alike) that James Potter wasn't as tough as he made out to be.

No. This would not do.

He kissed his mum and dad on the cheek and stood there in between the two muggle platforms for a minute as he held hands with his parents, feeling like he was going to board the train for the first time in his life all over again. He quietly smiled at the searching, suspicious looks that marked the face of most witches and wizards as they scanned the platform before crashing onto platform 9 and three quarters. The familiarity of the situation calmed him down and he inhaled once more, steadily this time.

'Pr-James! Nice timing as always, mate.' A warm hand thumped down on his shoulder and James jumped a little even though he knew who it was.

'Sirius. It's always so nice to see you.' James' dad loved the kid almost as much as he did his own son. Sirius shook hands with Mr Potter and hugged Mrs Potter warmly, grinning as she dropped a kiss on his cheek.

'Have a brilliant year ahead, you two! Focus on your NEWTS and try not to set anyone on fire this year.' The boys' faces split into identical grins at the fond memory, and then it was time to leave.

'I love you mum, I love you dad! Take care of each other!' James hollered as he ran towards the divider.

'You too!' They called out, hands help up in farewell. And then they were gone, only to be replaced by the fog-shrouded platform of nine and three quarters. It was time to get down to work.

* * *

_Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, King's Cross Station._

* * *

'Kiki, thank you! Amie, see? I'm telling you, popularity isn't _everything _but it does count for a fair share. Besides, if the Head Boy wasn't well known, he'd hardly be obeyed, won't he? This is exactly why I have a huge feeling that James the prat is going to be Head Boy this year.' Lily completed her sentence with her little nose wrinkled in an expression of disgust and she looked to her friends for support.

'I hear you're a rather strong contender for Head Girl, too,' a husky voice made Lily jump, look around frantically and then smile widely as Remus Lupin walked towards Lily and her friends wearing a broach, cheery smile.

'Remus!'

Out of James' annoying foursome, Remus was the one boy she considered a very close friend. She was also the only one out of the Marauderers who knew about Remus being a werewolf and had brewed many a potion to help her dear friend. How he bore James and Sirius' utter stupidity, she could never fathom.

Her cheeks slightly reddened as the thought of James crossed her mind and Remus grinned. His suspicions confirmed, he waved to Kiki (Kiana) and Amie politely, asked them if they'd be okay with Lily taking off with him for a bit and then steered her towards the front of the train, elated.

To say that Lily went along with him would be to utter the joke of the millennia. 'Remus? What is this, where are you taking me? REMUS! If your prat of a best friend has put you up to this, I swear- REMUS LUPIN, stop kidnapping me this instant!' Lily's face almost matched her deep red tresses by now and a large number of students and parents alike were blatantly staring at the two in mixed expressions of shock, surprise and mirth.

Remus waved to the lot. _The cheek!_ Thought Lily furiously as she was now being half dragged, half shoved across the length of the platform by Remus, who she'd almost considered her best friend.

'Here you go,' Remus winked as the forms of James Potter and Sirius Black finally loomed into view, and Lily groaned. _Of course. _'What is it this time, Potter?' she groaned, exhausted and fighting to control her temper. If what Remus said was true, then she'd have to work extra hard at maintaining the demeanour of a prospective Head Girl, though how she'd handle that post with James was another worry altogether.

James merely grinned at her cheekily while blowing a little kiss in her direction, causing the onlookers to ooh and aah. James whipped his wand out and signalled to his friends. He was by now beginning to look slightly green and curiosity began to get the better of Lily as she openly stared at his face.

'What?' she demanded.

'_Sonorus_', James muttered quietly with the tip of the wand at his throat.

'Lily Evans,' the voice booked out of James' throat but seemed to come from _everywhere. _Lily jumped violently.

'In our first year you beat me at Charms in almost every class, and after a while I began to let you, because your happy laugh at the end of each class was infectious.'

Lily's face was now flaming and she wanted to be anywhere, anywhere on earth but here at platform nine and three quarters, but for some strange reason she found herself unable to take her eyes of James, who was also growing a little pink now. She still wanted to throttle Remus and wipe the smirk off Black's face clean, but what could she do but listen to her public humiliation?

James continued and the magnified voice still came as a little shock to Lily.

'In the second year at Hogwarts I watched as you stayed by the bed of little Pella Smith at the hospital wing because she just couldn't stop having nightmares and wanted her mommy there. Pella,' he nodded to the girl who was now standing with three of her friends, and she grinned back at James.

'Our third year was rather stormy as you caked my face in plenty of food throughout the year, but my most vivid memory is of you feeding me the victory cake after the Quidditch finals that year. It was the first time you'd used food as it was supposed to be used, with me.' The bystanders broke into laughter at this, and the tension in James' face eased a little.

'During our fourth year, you tried to get me into detention during Portions class but ended up there with me. It was the best detention I have ever served at Hogwarts, and that is saying something, because I've been to plenty of them.'

'Fifth year was tiring for all of us, but you, sweet Lily managed to balance your academics with a working social life and showed us all up by topping the OWLs. I think,' his voice dropped a little, and everyone actually leaned forward. 'I think this is when I began to actually fall for you real hard, Miss Lily Evans,' James said, his eyes blazing.

Lily was rooted to the spot, desperately fighting the twin opposing urges churning in her to slap James and hug him tight.

'And last year, Lily, last year is when I got the privilege to talk to you and wasn't threatened with death.' He said this simply and hung his head down, pausing before he could continue.

'Last year is when I really, truly got to know you; much more than I'd ever had the chance to in the past five years. And I know that I am to blame for much of that', he added hastily. 'But I've been in love with you ever since that evening in front of the lake last winter. Every boy in college had the hots for you at one point in time or the other, Lily', James continued earnestly, taking Lily's lack of displaying anger as a good sign. 'But I've hunted each and every one of them and told them, _I loved her first_, and I'll love her forever.'

He paused for a second before bellowing, 'I loved you first, Lily Evans!' he roared just before the the effects of the _sonorous_ charm wore out.

He walked to her slowly, now wondering why he decided to make a huge deal out of it. As if it had heard his thoughts, the Hogwarts Express' whistle blew loudly, drowning any human-made sound immediately.

'And I love you now, Lily.' James whispered at her ear. 'Will you please, please do me the immense honour of going out with me?'

Lily suddenly grinned at James, who was now a tensed up bunch of nerves.

She decided that two could play at that game.

Moving tantalisingly close to James' face, Lily whispered into James' ears just as the train screeched to a halt at the station,

'_You'll have to try much harder than that to impress me, sweetheart.'_

And, dropping the tiniest of kisses on James' now very red ear, Lily turned around, ran towards her luggage and then boarded the train.

_This year was going to be way better than she had expected it to be._


	8. 8: Morning, Baby

**A/N:** Written for:

Cheeky Slytherin Lass' 'All Sorts of Love' challenge. Prompt: fluff

Sweet Bitter Life's 'The Flower Language Challenge'. Prompt: Rosebud;write about a next-gen girl.

I really enjoyed writing this much fluff after a long time, surprisingly! Please please do read and review; it would mean the world to me.

* * *

**#8 - Morning, Baby**

A stray alarm began its urgent buzzing somewhere on the headboard of the magnificent oak wood bed before Scorpius's hand silenced it, perhaps permanently.

A small shape stirred beside him on the bed, and then a head with a thick mass of red hair poked out from within the layers of bed covers and comforters.

'Time?' Her voice was thick with sleep and she couldn't be bothered to turn round or even open her heavy eyes.

A strong arm encircled her waist in response and Rose squealed as Scorpius brought her against his body, imprisoning her with his arms and locking her lower body between his legs. Rose squealed some more, unable to form coherent words and vaguely wondered how he was so verbose early in the morning.

'Rose, my beautiful, gorgeous darling. That alarm rang entirely by mistake this glorious Sunday morning, and I've made sure that it will pay for the heinous crime it committed of waking you up from your sleep.' He lowered his face onto her long, silky hair and inhaled deeply, then planting soft kisses from her ear to her temple and her forehead.

'Mmmm.' Rose snuggled close into Scorpius, turning around so she now faced him. She finally opened her eyes and then squeezed them shut again. 'Too much light, Scor!' she exclaimed, and he planted two gentle kisses on each of her closed eyes before getting up rather reluctantly to shut the blinds.

Once that was done, Scorpius gave a cursory glance around their room and emitted a small sigh of happiness at the sight of his sleepy sweetheart all curled up within their deep blue sheets and got into the sheets himself, pulling her closer to him once more.

He nibbled on her ear again and kissed it, earning himself a gentle swat on the nose in the process.

'Scor. Sleep and let me sleep, mmkay?' she murmured softly, throwing an arm around his midsection and pulling him closer to her. He didn't mind that, really. But now that he was awake, Scorpius found himself unable to go back to sleep and felt rather mischievous. He gently rolled over till he was on top of her and began trailing kisses from her nose to her lip to her chin and down her neck, nibbling in places.

'Mmm,' he moaned softly in her ears. 'Rosie, have I ever told you how _delicious_ you are?' He had a wicked glint in his eyes and as Rose slowly lost her sleep, she stared at him in lock-annoyance.

'Scor, and have I _ever _told you how utterly annoying you are?' Pinned below him and still groggy, there was little she could do but stare into his laughing grey eyes.

'You're even more beautiful when angry,' he murmured, swooping in on her lips and kissing her hard, making her gasp. Her annoyance melted and she kissed him back fiercely, alternately nibbling on his lower lip. Gaining sudden vigour, Rose rolled over and pinned Scorpius down below her, a Cheshire cat grin on her face.

'Baby,' she whispered dangerously, going teasingly close to Scorpius' face but refusing to kiss him when he reached out for her. 'Two can play at that game.' And she dodged every attempt of his to kiss her, claiming his hands in her own and clasping them behind her waist.

'That's for not letting me sleep in,' she giggled as yet another attempt of his to kiss her failed miserable.

She planted a sweet little kiss on his cheek, moving away before he could turn his head. 'And that's for thinking you're stronger than me.'

He then grinned at her, freeing his hands with surprising ease and picked Rose up, plonked her on his lap and began mercilessly tickling her as she shrieked.

'I remember you saying something about _strength_,' he drawled, looking absolutely sexy and dishevelled in his loose, V-necked soft grey t-shirt and rumpled black cotton pants. Rose's breath caught for a second as she stared longingly at him, at the exposed skin at the top of his chest and the full lower lip he was now chewing on in an irresistible manner.

She managed to roll away from him tried catching her breath, staring longingly into his eyes as she did so. Something moved in Scorpius' eyes and he cocked his head towards her. _Come over._

* * *

'Can I ask you something?'

'Mmm?' Scorpius responded, lazily. The two were rather worn out after the sexy start to their morning and were lying next to each other on the bed in nothing but their underwear.

Rose turned on her side to face Scorpius, propping herself up on her elbow as she did.

'Scorpius Malfoy,' she began, clearly nervous.

Scorpius looked at her, surprised. Her laughing, teasing tone from only moments ago was replaced by a very sombre one, and he was rather alarmed for a second.

'Is everything okay, sweetheart?' he asked, now sitting up and pulling Rose back onto his lap. He stroked her hair gently and then massaged the muscles on her shoulder. He then let his hands rove down the sides of her body and sighed as he felt her naked skin burst into goose bumps at his touch. _My girl. _A fierce wave of protectiveness washed over him, and he held her closer.

'What is it, Rose? You're driving me crazy over here.' His tone was gently but held undertones of immense concern

'What do you feel about becoming…a father?'

* * *

**A/N**: What do you think?

PLEASE leave a review! Thank you :)

~EternallySeventeen


End file.
